REASONS FOR A GENERAL ASSEMBLY.  HEBR. X. 25. 
Forsake not the assembling of yourselves together, as the manner of some is, etc.  A VIRTUTE ORTA OCCIDUNT RARIUS 
June 29. 1638  
Printed in the year of God, 1638.   

REASONS FOR A general Assembly.  
GOD by the light of Nature informing all people and societies to study their own preservation, teacheth also the particular kirkes of a nation, as the members of one body, to draw together into a consociation, or representative meeting, for the preservation of the whole, which cannot be sufficiently procured by the particular care of Sessions, Presbyteries and Synods; they being but parts thereof, and no more independent and absolute in themselves, then particular corporations  are in respect of the whole kingdom: So that by Nature's light, the Parliament is not more necessary for the estates of a kingdom, then is a national Assembly for the particular kirks of a kingdom.  
The Son of God, the King and Head of his Kirk, hath graciously promised, where two or three are gathered together in His Name, there He will be amongst the mids of them; which doth als well prove the Divine original of national Assemblies to be keeped in the case of the urgent necessity of the Kirk, as of other inferior meetings of the Kirk: And therefore the Counsels of old used this for their warrant, and the Father's being convened in Counsels, used to pray for the presence and assistance of Christ upon this ground of his gracious promise.  
The holy Ghost filling the hearts of the Apostles, moved them to convene in a council at Jerusalem Act: 15. Whether also did resort the Apostle Paul, by revelation at the same time, Gal: 2.1. For keeping that Assembly, as both ancient and modern Divines observe upon that place, for which cause, and for the assistance of the Spirit which brought them together, they were confident to give out their determination in this manner: It seemed good to the holy Ghost, & to us.  
The Christian church directed by the light of nature, confident of the promise of Christ, and warranted by the divine practice of the Apostles, hath in all ages, even when she was persecute by the powers of the world, used this as the ordinary and necessary means for uniform establishing of Religion and Piety, for censuring of Heresy, and for removing of scandals, and such other evils as by Divine providence and prediction must be, and would certainly bring division, and desolation upon the church, if by this powerful remeady they were not cured and prevented. Both Popish and reformed Divines agree in this truth: That although God by his omnipotency, or by way of miracle may preserve his Kirk on earth without Assemblies, yet in the ordinary providence of God, Assemblies are necessary for the right governing and well being of the Kirk.  
 to this Divine right the Kirk of Scotland keeped her general Assemblies with great evidence of the presence and blessing of God from heaven; For while they continued in their strength (far contrary to that which we have seen of late) the doctrine was by them preserved against error and heresy, the worship was keeped pure against superstition and idolatry; the Discipline was holden in integrity against confusion and tyranny; unity & peace was entertained against schism and division; piety and learning were advanced against profanity and idleness, every man had his gift stiried up and increased, every gift was made use of as it might serve for the good of the church; and all went from these assemblies with fresh resolutions, and fervent zeal for the work of God in their particular places.  
The liberty of this church for bolding assemblies was also acknowledged, and ratified by acts of Parliament, as is manifest by the letter sent from the Assemblies to the Earl of Morton than Regent, in March 1573. And by the act of Parliament in the year 1592. For such necessary causes as are expressed in these acts, which being neglected, religion could not be preserved. King James as at divers other times, so by his Commissioners at Lithgow, in the year 1606. did acknowledge that the keeping of general assemblies was the most necessary means for preservation of piety and union, and for extermination of heresy and schism, and therefore willed that the act of Parliament for conveening the general Assembly once in the year should stand in force. The prelates themselves in their assembly at Glasgow 1610. expressly acknowledged, that the necesside of the Kirk did require yearly general Assemblies, and the act of that assembly did suppose and import the same: for by the Act they were made liable to the censure of the general Assembly in their life, office, and benefice in general, and in some particulars specified therein, as that of the process of excommunication.  
The causes noted by Divines for the utility and necessity of Counsels are many, As 1. For suppressing heresy & controversies about points of doctrine: 2. For redressing abuses and enormities: 3. For appointing, restoring, or preserving the Discipline of the Kirk: 4. For the peace of the Kirk and for unity: 5. For the mutual comfort and benefit which the Godly may find in their meetings, by stirring up, and acquainting one another with the state of their particular kirks: 6. For the confirmation of doubting minds in the truth: 7. For keeping faithful Pastors in their places, thrust out by their adversaries, perturbers of the Kirk: 8. For punishing of heretics, or such as introduce novations in the Kirk. Any one of those may be a sufficient cause of conveening a general assembly: But at this time not one or two, but all of them in a concourse may be heard, crying for so necessary a remedy: For 1. The doctrine is corrupted by Arminianism and Popish errors. 2. Abuses and enormities through the government of prelate's are multiplied: 3. The Discipline of this Kirk established, by the acts of assemblies and by solemn oath, is not only perverted, but overturned: 4. Peace and unity in the Kirk is turned into schism and division, by the adversaries, who have minded nothing but their worldly peace, and increase of their dignities: 5. Brethren of the Ministry are become strangers one to another, their minds filled with suspicions, and none of them bettered by another, more than if they were Ministers in sundry kingdoms: 6. Many of the people have for a long time doubted of their religion, not knowing what hand to turn to, when they found such diversity of opinions amongst Pastors. 7. Faithful Pastors have been thirst out of their Ministry through usurpation of the prelates and their adherents, who take the greater liberty, and boldness to smite their Fellow-servants, that there be no general Assemblies to control or censure them: 8. Arminian and popish teachers both in Kirks, and schools are rather rewarded and preferred, then censured and controlled: And therefore except We will suffer religion to expire, and the Kirk of Christ to perish by consumption or by combustion, We must resolve upon the necessity of general Assemblies.  

Objections answered.  
THE name of the Kirk belongs to the prelate's, and the meeting of Our prelates for matters of religion is the representative Kirk of this kingdom.  
The prelates cannot be our representative Kirke▪ 1. Because they are not office-bearers of this Kirke, which since the time that the office of bishops was abolished, hath never to this day acknowledged any such office, as is now exerced by them. 2. Although the office of our prelates had been received by this Kirk, yet can they not be esteemed the Kirk representative, since both in the Apostolic council, Acts 15. and in many other counsels afterward, Presbyters had their voces, and the spirits of the Prophets must be subject to all such as by gifts and calling are prophets: 3. Because they have no more warrant by the laws of the country and Acts of the Kirk to represent the Kirk, than some few citizens, turning robbers, have to represent the corporation of the city, or some small fiction rising in a kingdom against the fundamental laws, to represent the whole kingdom, or an imposthume growing on the body, and making it diseased and monstrous to represent the body: 4. It is manifest by the acts of Parliament and Assemblies, that this church and kingdom never acknowledged any other church representative since the reformation, but the general Assembly orderly constitute of commissioners, chosen and delegate for that effect. 2. The Service book, and new Canons represent to all men, what conclusions we may look for from the prelate's, if they were acknowledged to be the church representative: And We may safely say of them, if they were the church representative, what is by all our Divines affirmed of the Roman representative church, made up of the members of the Roman hierarchy, that it cannot be the true church.  
Where the Christian church liveth under an unchristian Magistrate, Assemblies of the Kirk must be keeped, (according to the custom of the Kirk for many years) without the consent of the Magistrate: But where the Kirke liveth under a Christian Magistrate, so that the kirk and Commonwealth make but one corporation: the Assemblies of the church must depend upon the indiction of the Prince or Magistrate, who is the head of the republic, and the principal member of the church.  
We humbly acknowledge that the supreme Magistrate hath power to indict the Assemblies of the church, and when in his wisdom he thinketh it convenient, he may by his authority convene assemblies of all sorts, whether general, provincial, presbytries, or church Sessions: But the question is, whether he may prohibit or impede them, when the necessities of the Kirk evidently call for them. 2. No man will think that a republic, becoming a Christian Kirk, should loss any of her  liberties, why then shall a church being in herself a perfect republic, although of another kind, because she now lives under a Christian Magistrate, loss her privileges, or suffer diminution in her Christian liberty, whereof the holding of assemblies is a necessary part: 3. When the Christian Magistrate either forbiddeth, or in the urgent necessity of the Kirk forbeareth to convene Assemblies; in this point the Kirk is left to her own liberty, and must provide for her own safety. 4. The great wisdom of jesus Christ, the King of the Kirk, hath provided sufficient supplies for all her necessities, and fitting remedies for all her evils, of which there be many that cannot be helped without general Assemblies; and therefore, not only the Christian Prince, but the pastors of the Kirk, especially when the indiction cannot be obtained of the Prince, are bound as they will answer to Christ to provide that the Ecclesiastic republic receive no detriment, and to esteem the safety of the Kirk to be the supreme law.  
Although the liberty of the Kirk for holding assemblies ●ence in the year at least, and oftener pro re nata, 
Object. 3.  be ratified in the Parliament 1592. yet the act of Parliament 1612. acknowledgeth the indiction of the general assemblies to pertain to his Majesty by the prerogative of his royal crown, and therefore abrogates the former act.  
God forbidden that any man should be so impious, 
Ans.  as to think that his Majesty's royal prerogative doth contain or import any thing contrary to the royal prerogative of Christ, by whom King's reign, or to the liberties granted to the Christian Kirk, whose nurse father's Kings on earth must be; the matter therefore may be easily salved without wrong to the King's Majesty, or to jesus Christ the King of Kings, and to his Kirk by this threefold distinction. The first which is used in the point of calling Assemblies both by Popish and reformed Divines, putteth a difference between a solemn and public indiction, Via citationis ac publicae authorizationis, by way of citation or compulsion by authority; and between a voluntary meeting, Per viam admonitionis ac requisitionis, by way of Christian admoniton or advertisement; the former is so proper to the King by his prerogative, that it can neither be given to the Pope, nor to any foreign power, nor without usurpation can be claimed by any of his Majesty's Subjects. Moses only may blow the trumpet; The other is proper to the Kirk and her office-bearers, which neither is, nor can be taken from her by any Act of Parliament. Secondly we are to distinguish between a cumulative or rather a positive power of calling Assemblies, and between a privative or destructive power, The former is acknowledged by the Act of Parliament to belong to the King, who being Custos ●triusque tabulae, may, and aught, pro re nata, call the assemblies of the Kirk, but the other cannot be meant in the act of Parliament 1612. 1. Because it doth not confer any new power, but only declareth quo jur● his former power of indicting (which is only set down in the act 1592.) doth appertain to him: 2. Because in the act 1592. it was found that the King's power of indicting general assemblies, and that by virtue of his prerogative royal, might consist with this native liberty of the Church, to appoint the time and place of her necessare assemblies, in case of the Kings not using his prerogative by appointing them: and the act of the King's prerogative was declared to contain no derogation to the liberties and privileges granted by God to his Church, whereof the liberty of general assemblies is there acknowledged to be one. 3. Because although Cujus est nolle, ejus est & velle, it is not always reciprocal, Cujus est velle, ejus est & nolle, and 4. because the act of Glasgow assembly, whereof the act of Parliament is ratificatorie, acknowledgeth the necessitig of yearly general assemblies.  
thirdly, We must observe the difference betwixt the indiction, or calling of assemblies considered absolutely, and in respect of the circumstances of time and place, Indictio simpliciter, and secundum quid, the act of Parliament intendeth no further but touching the circumstancess of the place, as in what town the assembly shall convene, and of the time in what Month of the year, and what day of the month, as is evident by the act of 1592. which giveth this liberty of time and place to the assembly, when the King's Majesty or his Commissioner doth not appoint them.   
FINIS.